Deja Vu
by CrystalDragon791
Summary: Set after Nessie stops growing. Begins w/ an outsider's perspective on the Cullen's first day of school. However, some aspects of this little New Hampshire town seem unrealistically familiar...like a clumsy brunette and annoying admirers. Maybe T later.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: I hated my last attempt at Twilight fanfiction (a poem called "Dear Mr. Cullen"—don't read it), so I copied down this little plot bunny when it popped into my head. I've also decided to split the original first chapter into a prologue and the first chapter, since I'm going to continue this until I run out of ideas. (insert balloons and streamers here) Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer has Twilight; I have nothing.**_

Prologue

Nothing happens in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. Or nothing is _supposed_ to, anyway. Population: 1,104—the only people who live up here are romantics who fell in love with the scenery and the small-town charm, and those who grew up here and can't fathom leaving their roots for the outside world, even though that's the dream of the younger crowd. The most true-blue of the residents play football in blizzards and wear shorts and flip-flops in 60-degree weather. Where most schools on the East Coast house 10-15 new students every year, Jefferson High's last new kid graduated in 1997, eleven years before word of the next batch slipped onto the radar.

That in itself—the fact that more than one new student was on their way to Jefferson—sparked unparalleled interest in the adolescent community. Coupled with the discovery that no one in Center Harbor actually _knew_ the family moving up here, the vibe in the tiny school was one of unbridled gossip and excitement. Rumors flew back and forth like tennis volleys: three almost-starlets had forsaken a life of fame and fortune to complete their high school education like normal teens; twin geniuses with IQs to rival Albert Einstein and Steven Hawking (put together) sacrificed their bright futures to live with parents who wanted to open a B & B; delinquents with juvie records and the leather jackets to match had been given one last chance to reform their criminal ways.

Naturally, the new arrivals surpassed all expectations—it was one of those deliciously few cases where the reality was better than the fantasies.

_**AN: Center Harbor is a real town, but don't ask me about Jefferson High. The rest of the old chapter 1 will appear if you click the little button with the arrow pointing to the right down there. REVIEW PLEASE!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: Thanks to Tobi'sgoodgirllovesSasuSaku (yeah GG!), EdwardMakesMeSwoon (just wait and see, it's gonna get real good real fast), jellybean57 (thanks for the encouragement!), Katako-Chan (thanks—the whole thing started with me wondering how people would see the Cullens once Bella became a vampire), beedoggie (you have the best name on the planet! XD), and running-with-vampires89 (sorry, I don't see Bailey as the shopping type) for reviewing the old first chapter! Cupcakes for everyone! Okay, here's the rest. Enjoy. **__****_

Chapter 1: New Students

I stared shamelessly as the eight new students—_eight_, for Chrissakes!—filed into the cafeteria for lunch. They passed by our table silently, communicating among themselves in expressions too subtle for anyone else to interpret.

"Who _are_ they?" I breathed.

"The Cullens, the Masens, and the Hales," Jennifer whispered back, delighted with the place of attention she held. The busty blonde worked part-time in the main office, and always had the scoop on Jefferson High School's administrative life; which, honestly, was about as interesting as reading the dictionary cover-to-cover—until today.

"Emmett Cullen is the big pale one," Jennifer went on, "and his sisters are Isabella and Alice, the two brunettes." The trio she indicated shared no common characteristic other than their dark hair, which ranged from Isabella's long, rich brown to Emmett's close-cut brown-black to Alice's spiky pitch-black. Emmett really was huge, a mountain of humanity compared to slim, slinky Isabella and pixie-like Alice. The last of these three seemed to dance as she walked by, and though Emmett was too muscular to ever be considered graceful, his sister Isabella practically glided across the linoleum floor.

"Next are Edward Masen and his sister, Vanessa…" Ah, now that made sense. Though Edward carried himself with the obvious authority and protectiveness of an older brother, he and Vanessa looked so much alike they could have been twins. They shared the same bronze hair, the same striking features, the same pale complexion—the only thing they didn't share was eye color: where Vanessa had chocolate brown eyes, Edward had dark golden. The same color as the Cullen siblings' eyes…

"And then the blonde Hale twins, Jasper and Rosalie," Jennifer finished, a steely undercurrent entering her voice. It was understandable—Rosalie Hale outshone every other girl in the room, including the Cullen sisters and Vanessa Masen. Hair the color of new wheat, skin like porcelain, lips full and red enough to put a rose to shame, a figure any international supermodel would cheerfully kill for…Rosalie kicked Jennifer clear off the pedestal of Jefferson's Hottest Blonde just by existing. Her brother was no pushover, either; Jasper Hale reminded me of a great feral cat, with a mane of hair no other guy had a prayer of pulling off. He moved more fluidly than Emmett Cullen or Edward Masen, but there was a wariness to him that kept you on edge, as if he could find at least one potential danger in the room if he just looked long enough. I knew that look—my older brother Travis had worn it when he came home from Iraq last year. Wait a minute…did the Hale twins have gold eyes, too, or was I hallucinating?

"Jennifer, who's that last guy?" Annabelle asked, nodding to the biggest guy bringing up the rear. Unlike the Cullens, the Masens, and the Hales, he had russet skin pulled tight across well-defined muscles, and short-cropped black hair. He was good-looking, sure enough, but anticlimactic after the jaw-dropping, marble-skinned exemplars of manhood walking in front of him—his eyes, I was relieved to see, were dark, almost black.

"Oh, he's Jacob Wolfe," Jennifer answered dismissively—she apparently shared my opinion that the other three new guys were more worth her attention. "He has an older sister, Leah, but she's already out of high school—she works at the new fishing supplies store down by the waterfront. All nine of them live with that new doctor, Carlisle Cullen, and his wife Enid."

"Esme," I corrected absently, still watching the new students as they took their seats at a suddenly vacant table. "His wife's name is Esme."

"And how would _you _know, Bailey?" Jennifer demanded, insulted that I'd challenged the authenticity of her gossip.

I tapped the cast covering my left forearm. "I wrecked my bike this weekend and broke my arm," I explained. "Dr. Cullen patched me back up, and we got to talking. He told me that his foster kids were coming to school soon, but I didn't think he had this many."

"You know anything else?" Matt wanted to know, eyeing the four new girls with hormonal intent. Taylor and Evan, the idiots, were close to drooling.

"Just that they're all together," Jennifer replied, equal parts smug and wistful. "Emmett's with Rosalie, Jasper's with Alice, Edward's with Isabella, and Jacob's with Vanessa."

All three boys slumped at the news. "Well, they can't stay together forever, can they?" Evan asked hopefully.

The rest of us just shook our heads. "Dude," Taylor said pityingly, "if you were a girl, would _you _dump one of those guys?" Evan's face fell. "We have zero chance with them—might as well not even try."

Even as he said it, I knew that at least one of them would definitely attempt to steal away one of the girls, and all of them would probably fantasize about it for…well, until graduation, if Dr. Cullen and his family stuck around that long. Other than that, there was something about the new kids that made them…unapproachable. I looked around the room. Normally, if a new student arrived, the shy half of the school would gawk while the social half of the school trampled over each other to go say hello—today, even my group, which was composed of the societal leaders of Jefferson High, kept their distance. Something about the Cullen cult—their beauty, their silence, their numbers—clearly discouraged any contact with the rest of the student body.

However, I have an uncanny ability to do the last thing anyone would expect of me, often leading to my personal demise. The school shrink says I have conformity issues, but I blame the mischievous spirit that compelled me to get up from my seat with my "friends" (Annabelle is really the only one I'm close to) and walk over to where the Cullen cult sat.

"Hi," I said brightly, catching the attention of the entire table.

"Hello," pixie-like Alice replied cheerfully. Isabella smiled at me a little.

"I'm Bailey Swanson," I went on, unnerved by the others' silence. "Swanson like the broth, minus the profit. I'd say welcome to Jefferson, but you've probably heard that one already. Getting tired of people gawking at you yet?"

I could have sworn I saw Jasper crack a smile before he hid it behind a pale, long-fingered hand. "We're used to it," Vanessa told me, not bothering to mask the grin that stretched across her lovely face. Something eased perceptibly in the tense atmosphere surrounding the table.

Edward gestured to my cast. "Our father's work?"

I winced. "Yeah. Fell off my bike on Friday. Great way to meet the new doctor in town, huh?"

"You fell off your bike?" Jacob asked incredulously. His face was more open and expressive than his pale compatriots. "Carlisle was called in for extensive surgery to repair a shattered bone and perform some intense stitching. How'd you manage that on a bicycle?"

I laughed a little, understanding their misinterpretation. "Actually, my bike is a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I sorta hit a patch of ice wrong, started skidding, and got thrown into a ditch and against a tree. Go figure."

Jacob raised eyebrows as black as his hair and eyes. "You got _thrown_ into a _ditch_."

I nodded proudly. "Yep. Third wreck this year, though my bike's still intact. What can I say? I'm a danger magnet."

Emmett's large shoulders shook with silent laughter; Isabella, Vanessa, and Alice all traded gleeful looks; Jasper fought to conceal a grin; and Rosalie and Jacob looked at me with "_No effin' way_" written all over their faces. As I tried to puzzle out the source of their amusement, Edward looked over my shoulder and smirked. "I think your friends are about to come rescue you."

I took the hint. "If they can—I've eluded them to long to give up now. I'll try to keep the boys from drooling too much. Bye!"

As I hurried away, stumbling over my own feet a little as I did so, I heard Emmett's attempt at self-control give way to booming laughs that echoed against the high ceiling of the cafeteria. I smiled to myself—at least the new kids wouldn't be boring.

_**AN: All who review get Edward-shaped cookies. All who do not review will find Jane and Alec on their doorstep tomorrow: I have that kind of power. REVIEW FOR YOUR LIFE! Xb**_


	3. Chapter 3

My first class after lunch was Advanced Biology, so I went ahead and claimed a seat in Mr. Medina's room, burrowing into my book on Greek and Roman mythology while I waited for class to begin. Mr. Medina, accustomed to my antics, barely glanced up from his paperwork. We sat in companionable silence until the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and the sound of hundreds of feet echoed in the close halls. All too soon, the door opened and my classmates filed in.

"Hey, Bailey," Annabelle greeted me, taking the seat in front of me. "Did the new students seem nice?"

I shrugged, eyes still on my book. "Sure, I guess. Not exactly socialites, though."

"What do you mean?" Matt wanted to know, sliding into the seat next to Annabelle—there was still an open seat next to me, but they both know that I prefer to work alone.

"Only that they're not going out of their way to make friends," I replied. "Then again, with such a large family, I suppose they don't feel the need to socialize with outsiders." I frowned at this observation; it rang truer than I had anticipated.

Matt, already turned back around, didn't seem to notice my uneasiness. "Hey, check it out," he told Annabelle and me, his face lighting up.

Edward Masen and Isabella Cullen stood side-by-side at Mr. Medina's desk, each brandishing a new-student slip. Mr. Medina stared for a split second, just as disconcerted as the rest of us, before signing the papers and returning them to the surreal couple. Isabella and Edward thanked him politely, turned, and claimed the only two seats left: the two-person, blacktopped desk directly behind me.

"Okay class, settle down," Mr. Medina called, rising from his desk. "Obviously you're all aware we have two new students with us today, Isabella Cullen and Edward Masen—but let me remind you that socializing can wait until you leave my classroom. The only person that should be talking to them is Bailey, because she will be helping them catch up." I nodded when he looked to me, happy to have another reason to talk to Edward and Isabella. "We'll take it easy today—as long as you keep the volume down to a dull roar, you guys can study for the lab tomorrow."

A sigh of relief wafted out of all of us at this announcement—why do today what you can put off for tomorrow?—as Mr. Medina returned to his seat and I turned to Edward and Isabella.

"Not a very ambitious man, is he?" Edward asked, watching Mr. Medina.

I shrugged. "This isn't exactly a private school in Concord. You guys haven't missed much, anyway—we've only gone over anatomical terms and basic chemistry. The lab tomorrow's just on mitosis, and then we go into the skeletal system on Monday. What?" I asked because Edward had just flashed the most brilliant smile known to man at his girlfriend, who returned his look with an expression so purely happy that I had to blink and avert my eyes, feeling as though I'd trespassed on a private moment.

"The first time I really got to know Bella was over a mitosis lab at our old school," Edward murmured tenderly, skimming his fingers over her pale cheek. "Biology is a very nostalgic subject for us."

Isabella—or Bella, as Edward had called her—laughed softly, her voice tinkling like wind chimes. "And that's putting it mildly," she added, her eyes glued to his.

I turned back around slowly, mentally telling myself, _Well, okay then. Don't want to intrude on their moment._ If I'd taken the time to do a bit of good, old-fashioned soul-searching, I would've realized how touched I was that that level of devotion could actually exist between people…however, I merely returned to my book.

The rest of my day was depressingly Cullen-free, but as I was walking out to the parking lot to meet Annabelle (broken arms and motorcycles do not mix, or so I've been told), another piece of their puzzle fell into place: a shin silver Volvo was parked among the dingy pick-up trucks and hand-me-down mini-vans, and (to my delight) a vintage black Harley Davidson claimed the spot next to it. I surged toward the bike, forgetting who it might belong to, admiring the first-class restoration. Whoever had patched this bike up definitely knew what they were doing.

"Uh, Bailey, right?" I whipped around, startled, to face Jacob Wolfe and Vanessa Masen. The rest of their crowd grouped around the Volvo, looking on with polite interest and suppressed amusement.

I turned to Jacob. "It's yours? Did you buy her like this? Did you do the restoration yourself? How does she run? What's her mileage? Do you have _any_ idea how hard this model is to come by?!" I paused to take a breath, waiting impatiently for his answer.

Jacob smirked; Vanessa grinned. "Yes, yes, perfectly, you don't want to know, and again, yes," Jacob answered my interrogation. "I take it you're an enthusiast?"

"Just a little," I replied, glancing wistfully back at his bike. "I like knowing how things work." _Things and people_, I amended to myself. _The dullest person in the world can be more unpredictable than the church bus coming back from Memphis._

I thought I heard Edward chuckle, but when my eyes flickered over to him, his face was perfectly composed, and none of his family reacted at all.

Vanessa took Jacob's hand. "Nevertheless," he said, indicating his Harley, "may we…?"

"Oh, sure. Sorry," I said, jumping back as Jacob caught the two helmets Jasper Hale had retrieved from the Volvo's backseat.

"Bailey!" Annabelle called from the end of the row. She waved for me to come on.

"See you guys tomorrow!" I told the Cullens, Hales, Masens, and Jacob, sprinting down the sidewalk to Annabelle's car. I almost tripped once, but hoped no one noticed; my clumsiness was infamous.

-X-

"What do you make of her, Edward?"

"…it's hard to explain, Rose. She's filled with curiosity, but it's completely without malice; she thirsts for new knowledge as much as Carlisle does. She's free-spirited, but there's a maturity there I wouldn't expect in someone her age."

"Does she pose a threat to us?"

"Alice?"

"…"

"Not immediately, as far as I can see. If things continue as they do now, she's perfectly harmless. Curious, but harmless. She plans to ask about our backgrounds tomorrow in Biology."

"Jasper? Anything you noticed?"

"Yes, actually. It's strange—while her immediate emotions were entirely sincere, there's an undercurrent to all of it that puzzles me. I've never experienced this kind of suppressed, constant emotion."

*sighs* "Well, if this girl is the most of our problems, I'd say we're getting along pretty well. You know, compared to our last high school experience. Hey!"

"You deserved it and you know it. Just because you're older than me doesn't mean I have to put up with you teasing my parents, Uncle Emmett."

*chuckles* "We raised our daughter well, love."

"I'd say we did, too."

-X-

The next day, I decided to make it my mission in life to find out how it was that kids with four different surnames came to live in the same house. I sat through my morning classes impatiently, though I knew I was too chicken to approach them all together at their lunch table. Motorcycles are one thing—social aptitude was another matter completely. So I waited until Bio; I even made sure both my work and theirs was _all done_ before I talked to them, so Mr. Medina couldn't yell at us.

I turned in my seat to face them, resolving to be direct about things. "Do you mind if I ask some socially tabooed questions?"

Edward's face twisted into a crooked smile. "How tabooed?"

"Four different surnames all living in the same house."

"Ah." Though he made a comprehending sound, neither Edward nor Bella really seemed surprised. "What would you like to know?"

"Your—all of your family's relationship to Dr. Cullen. If you don't mind."

"Not at all," Bella replied, shooting her boyfriend a look that made it clear she thought he wasn't being very genteel. "Emmett, Alice, and I are adopted by Carlisle and Esme, his wife. Edward and Vanessa are Esme's nephew and niece. Jasper and Rosalie are foster kids. And Jacob and Leah are just staying with us until their parents finish their research in Asia—they're both professors studying ancient Homosapiens."

"What happened to your parents, Edward?" I asked, hoping I wasn't treading on a sore spot. I was just so _curious_.

"They died a long time ago," he replied, his expression carefully blank.

I winced. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Carlisle and Esme have been as good as parents to me."

"And, um, Bella? Do you and Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie know what happened to your parents?"

"Well, my mother got pregnant at a very young age…you can figure out the rest. As for the others, all their parents are dead as well."

I made a face, deflated. "Well, _that's_ depressing."

"Please don't be sad for us," Bella said, her unearthly beautiful face kind. "We couldn't be happier with our situation."

Edward looked at Bella when she said that, his pale skin glowing with tenderness. "No doubt about that," he murmured. Bella smiled a smile that put the luminosity of the sun to shame, lacing her fingers with his.

I looked down, uncomfortable with their obvious devotion. "Right, well, thanks," I mumbled, turning back around. _Why do people have to get so mushy in school?_ I thought disgruntledly. _It's obscene!_

Over the next weeks, it became clear that the Cullens (for everyone dropped the Masens, Hales, and Jacob Wolfe quickly, and the whole group fell under the doctor's name) were strictly keep-to-themselves about most things. They came to school together, they ate lunch together, they sat together in their classes, they left together, they spent their weekends together. And after I saw that most of my conversations with Bella and Edward usually ended up with them basking in their—all right, I'll say it—_love_ for each other, I stopped talking to them for the most part. They never initiated conversation with me.

However, never only lasted for about two months.

_**AN: Teehee…mini-cliffie! I will not rectify this precipitous edge until I get…let's see, I'll set my sights low…ten reviews! You who review, enjoy a cookie in the shape of Jacob's motorcycle—you who do not, be forewarned…I know people in Italian positions. You just think about that for a minute. REVIEW!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN: 'Ello, Twilighters! I'm baaa-aaack! Big hugs and cookies to Ally Dawn (thank you!), shharper (stay tuned, my friend, it's about to get better!), paramore fanitic (I see our taste in music is similar), and starzsv (ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies…;D) for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are AWESOME! **_

_**Now, I know you've been wondering how Bailey fits into the Cullens' world, so…here's the explanation! (or at least a hint of the explanation)**_

Chapter 3: Another New Student

Exactly three months and four days had gone by since the Cullens' arrival before I noticed a deviation in their normally stoic behavior. Frowns replaced emotionless expressions; quiet, intense discussions were held over lunch; Edward and Bella spent biology class in fervent whispers rather than loving glances; and instead of Jacob and Vanessa riding to school on their bike, Leah Wolfe appeared in an army green pick-up to drive the pair to and from school. The second time they pulled into the parking lot, I saw Bella sitting in the passenger seat, though Edward still drove the Volvo. That caught my attention more than anything—it was the first time I'd seen them apart since their arrival in Center Harbor.

That was two days before he came.

On Monday morning, as I rumbled into the parking lot and parked my Harley in the space beside Annabelle's VW van, I noticed something different about the Cullens' shiny little corner of the asphalt: a striking black Honda claimed the space next to the familiar silver Volvo. Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper all stood around their car, their golden gazes burning into the Honda's tinted windows, though its owner was nowhere to be seen. The five siblings did not relax their posture until Jacob, Vanessa, and Bella came by after Leah dropped them off. I didn't see them the rest of the morning, but they were just as tense at lunch, their piercing gazes flitting over every face in the cafeteria as if looking for someone in particular.

I myself learned a tasty bit of gossip during lunch that day—a new doctor had arrived unexpectedly to work at the hospital, a woman. Curiously, however, no one knew her name or if she brought any family with her. This struck me as odd; small towns like Center Harbor are known for getting accurate gossip fast, especially when it pertained to locals or new arrivals. It was a huge credit to the new doctor's discretion that everyone knew so little about her.

In Biology that day, I learned a little more.

I sat silently in my normal seat, my head buried in Jane Eyre, oblivious as usual to my surroundings while I read. I heard my classmates file in at the bell, Matt and Annabelle sitting in front of me, Bella and Edward behind. The latter pair was still engaged in a whispered conversation, speaking so quietly and quickly that their words blurred into a comfortable humming at my back. Quite suddenly, the humming stopped, along with all other noise in the room. I looked up, befuddled at the abrupt change in sound.

The most beautiful boy I had ever seen stood before Mr. Medina's desk, waiting patiently as the teacher signed his new student slip. That task completed, the boy thanked Mr. Medina politely and turned to face the class.

Disheveled, sandy hair encompassed every color between dark brown and platinum blond. The planes of his face were as pale and perfect—no, more perfect—than those of the Cullen siblings. A navy blue fisherman's sweater hung over strong, broad shoulders, and its pushed-up sleeves revealed forearms lean with muscle. One large, marble-white hand loosely gripped his books, while the other rested in the pocket of faded, just-baggy-enough jeans. Butterscotch-colored eyes scanned the room for an open seat from beneath edgy commas of that glorious hair. They found one in the spot next to me.

As he made his way toward me, I wondered vaguely if someone had mysteriously managed to bring Michelangelo's statue of David to life. That was the only explanation for this perfect male inquiring softly if he may sit here. I nodded mutely, moving my bag. He smiled at me in a polite, bland way, but then his eyes widened minutely. His nostrils flared. A flicker of uncertainty passed behind his topaz eyes. And then just as suddenly, he's sitting next to me, looking toward the front of the class. I couldn't stop staring at him.

"All right, class," Mr. Medina said, attempting to draw attention away from the newest arrival. "Obviously, you've noticed our newest new student, but you know that I don't tolerate socializing in my class. Save it for after the bell, kiddos. In the meantime, you can set up for the cellular lab. Bailey, share your materials with your new lab partner."

The new boy turned to me with a shy smile. "Bailey, is it?" he asked formally.

I managed to recall some of my misplaced wits. "Yes, I…my name's Bailey Swanson." I stuck out my hand for him to shake. He did so, his touch as icy as freezer-burn. Goosebumps rippled up my arm, but not just from the cold. A strange, fluttery sensation entered my stomach area, and refused to go away until he released my hand. Some nameless emotion flashed in the golden depths of his eyes once more.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bailey Swanson," he replied to my introduction. "I am Lucas Rockwell. My family and I just moved here from Maine."

I put two and two together. "Oh, is your mom the new doctor in town?"

Lucas nodded. "My adoptive mother, Dr. Olivia Rockwell."

Though I was fairly certain I knew the answer, I had to ask, "What happened to your real mother? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

Lucas shrugged indifferently. "Both of my parents died a long time ago."

I winced. "Sorry," I whispered, somehow more morose at hearing his story than at hearing Bella and Edward's.

"It's perfectly fine. My family is with the Rockwells now."

"So you have an adoptive dad, too?"

"Yes, Gideon Rockwell."

"What does he do?"

"He's a computer programmer. He works from home."

I made a face. "Uh, sorry, but that just doesn't sound like something I could make a living out of. Anything involving math over a Trigonometry level gives me the chills."

Lucas laughed quietly, a wonderful, smooth, joyous sound that I could've heard a thousand times over and never tire of. "I thought as much from your reading selection," he informed me, gesturing to my well-loved copy of Jane Eyre. "Are you very romantic, then?" he inquired, amusement twinkling in his hypnotic eyes.

"Oh, absolutely," I replied solemnly. "I am so romantic that I spend my weekends watching movies such as The Lord of the Rings and the Firefly series."

"Peter Jackson and Joss Whedon—two of the greats," Lucas agreed. "Tell me, do you prefer the Brat Pack or the Rat Pack?"

"Yes," I stated. "Both Ocean's Eleven and The Breakfast Club are cornerstones of cinematography as we know it today."

"But Molly Ringwald couldn't sing," Lucas pointed out. "The Rat Pack had Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin…"

"And a lot of other old white guys," I cut in. "Except for Sammy, that is. Don't get me wrong, Sinatra and Dean both rock, but there isn't a lot in the Rat Pack for a girl to identify with."

"True," Lucas conceded. "Very true. What kind of music would a girl identify with, then?"

I grinned. "Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Evanescence, Nickelback, Sarah McLachlan, Sinatra, various Italian operas, and a drop of Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach, just to mix things up."

"If you two are _quite finished_?" Mr. Medina stood in front of our desk, arms crossed, eyebrow raised. I glanced at Lucas; he smiled at me, seemingly unperturbed by the teacher looming over our workspace.

"My mistake, Mr. Medina," he said smoothly, rising from his seat in one fluid movement. "Bailey was telling me what materials we'd need, and I distracted her. I apologize." Looking at me, he added, "I'll get what we need."

Catching on, I nodded. "Remember, one worksheet, one microscope, and a box of slides."

"Yes, ma'am." My ravishing lab partner moved away to collect the aforementioned materials. Mr. Medina, his wrath satisfied, disappeared as well. I pressed one hand to my flushed cheek, exhilarated by my closest encounter with flirtation to date.

That's when I saw Bella and Edward.

They sat rigidly at the black-topped desk behind me, their lab completed. Bella watched Lucas warily, and Edward stared critically at me, as if he wanted to know the answer to a question without asking it.

"What?" I demanded. Neither one acknowledged me. "What is it?" Still nothing.

"Bailey?" Lucas's heavenly voice asked. I turned back to him. He was looking over my head at Bella and Edward. "Is there a problem?" he queried frostily, his topaz eyes as hard as the jewel they resembled.

"No," I assured him hurriedly. "No problem. Let's get to work, shall we?"

Lucas complied with my suggestion, but remained tense throughout the rest of class, despite my attempts to lure him into our previous conversation. When the bell rang to signal the end of the school day, he gathered up my books along with his. "May I walk you to your car?" he asked sweetly, his slow, sincere grin returning to his angelic face.

I gulped. "Sure," I croaked, hypnotized and intimidated by his mind-bending perfection. On our way out of the classroom, he caught the door and held it for me like a real old-fashioned gentleman. I mumbled my thanks and managed to trip over the threshold. Before I had time to process my loss of balance, Lucas had caught me and set me upright, his expression concerned.

"Are you all right?"

I straightened, but didn't pull away from his hand. "Of course. That kind of thing happens a lot."

A faint line of disapproval creased his marble brow. "I see," he said dryly. "Somehow, that does not surprise me."

I giggled at that. "I have that impression on people," I informed him as we walked outside.

"Really? What impression is that?"

"Clumsy, eccentric, and too hyper for her own good."

"You make those things sound bad." I looked up at Lucas, startled. He stared back at me, his blinding smile causing my heart to stutter against my ribs.

"Well, they are, to most people," I stuttered, taken off-guard once again by his unbelievable beauty.

Lucas snorted. "Most people don't know what they're talking about," he lectured. "Uniqueness is a dying trait. And you, Bailey, are blessedly unique."

I looked away, blushing, embarrassed that I couldn't express my thoughts about him with such candor. "Well, this is me," I said, waving a hand to take in the navy blue Harley.

"You drive a Harley Davidson motorcycle?" Lucas demanded incredulously. "With your magnetism to trouble? Are you _trying_ to get in a wreck?"

I raised my eyebrows in my patented Excuse You? look. "It suits me fine, thank you very much."

"She's had three accidents this year," a friendly voice called out. "She just got the cast off her arm from the last one about a month ago."

_Traitor_, I thought to Annabelle as Lucas gained a stubborn gleam in his eye.

"I think I should take you home today," he told me. "If not for your own sake, then for the sake of the other drivers on the road."

"We'll take Bailey home," Jacob Wolfe's low voice intruded. Lucas made the same face when he first met me—eyes slightly widened, nostrils flared—as he spun to face the bigger teen. Jacob stared at Lucas with suspicion, distrust, and something remarkably like fear.

"I can manage, thank you," Lucas replied, stepping almost imperceptibly closer to me. Jacob shifted on his feet, plainly uneasy about something.

"But her bike will fit in the back of Leah's truck," Bella put in smoothly, nodding to where the army-green pick-up idled at the curb. "And I don't know that letting a complete stranger drive you home is the smartest thing in the world to do," she added to me. My mind made logical sense out of this, but something in my heart protested that I knew Lucas would never do anything wrong by me…in fact, it felt like I'd known him for years before today…

Lucas stood perfectly still at my side, his golden eyes flickering between Jacob, Bella, Leah's truck, the group by the Volvo, and lastly, my face. Finally, he sighed, and my chest constricted with the knowledge of what was coming next.

"I suppose it would be better for you to go home with them," he murmured softly to me. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bailey." He walked off toward his black Honda.

"Bye, Lucas!" I shouted, feeling a hard lump of regret well up in my throat. Jacob kicked the kickstand of my bike out from under it and wheeled it toward Leah's truck—apparently, they were really giving me a ride home today. Bella took my arm and gently, but irrevocably led me away. I watched Lucas pass by the Cullen crowd and slide into the driver's seat of his car; Edward said something to him, leaning down towards his window, and I could barely see Lucas's lips move in response before he gunned the black sedan into reverse and sped out of the parking lot.

For the strangest, most inexplicable reason under the sun, I felt devastated that I wasn't sitting in there next to him.

_**AN: Dun-dun-DUUUNNN! New OC in the house! w00t! **_

_**I'm a little disappointed—212 hits on this story and only 10 different reviewers. And only one reviewer reviewed more than one chapter! (Thank you, paramore fanitic!) So, here's what's going to happen: If you review, I will send Carlisle to patch you up the next time you get hurt (either emotionally or physically!). But, if you do not review, I can blackmail Aro into sending a few choice members of the Volturi to hunt you down. Yes, I have that kind of power (:3). REVIEW FOR YOUR LIVES!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN: Wow, I am so glad everyone liked Lucas! Almost half of the reviews I've gotten for the entire story came from the last chapter! Big thanks and cookies for:**_

_**--EdwardMakesMeSwoon**_

_**--Libra Sorceress**_

_**--Eebee**_

_**--BrokenAngel363**_

_**--Black Mary Janes**_

_**--Elizabeth Moffettie**_

_**--Forever-Auriele**_

_**--Ally Dawn**_

_**The rest of you need to FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE! Sheesh! What's a girl gotta do to get some reviews here? Anyways, onto the next chapter of Bailey's epic tale…with the knowledge that she, Lucas, and the other OC's are the only things I own here. **_

Chapter 4: Deeper

Driving home was a quiet affair—Leah drove, Bella sat in the passenger seat, I sat in the middle of the back seat, and Jacob and Vanessa sat on either side of me. They all stared out the windows silently, but not in the idle, unfocused stare of the average zoned-out passenger. All four of them watched the blurred landscape intently, their eyes zeroing in on each and every landmark as we passed. I considered asking what they were looking for, but reasoned that they probably wouldn't tell me.

"Where's your house?" Leah asked gruffly.

I gave her directions in a subdued voice, my usual bounciness drained for the day. Why couldn't I have gone home with Lucas?

Leah parked her truck in front of my driveway smoothly, with none of the squealing and jerking of the antiquated models chugging around Center Harbor. Jacob opened the door and hopped out to hoist my bike out of the back. I followed mutely, accepting my Harley with a nod before I wheeled it up the drive.

"Bailey."

I looked over my shoulder at Bella, my eyebrows raised in a question.

Bella, Leah, Jacob, and Vanessa all had their eyes trained on me searchingly, worry playing over their faces. "It would be best if you stayed away form Lucas," Bella told me.

I frowned. "Do you know him?"

"We know his type," Leah replied. "It wouldn't end well."

The creases in my forehead deepened. "Have you _met_ him before?" I demanded.

"Please trust us," Vanessa said, her voice pleading.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," Jacob added.

_And you do?_ I asked them silently. I studied their grave expressions, all perfect seriousness as they stared back. My eyes widened as it hit me: yes, yes they did. Whatever objections the Cullens had against Lucas, they were rooted in a realm I wasn't supposed to know about. A tabooed boundary I couldn't be allowed to cross. And the Cullens were as deep into it as Lucas was.

"Bailey? Will you please listen to us?"

I met each of their eyes squarely; Vanessa's chocolate brown, Jacob and Leah's coal black, and Bella's eerie liquid golden.

"I'll keep it in mind," I said solemnly, and watched closely as their expressions went from worry to shock to _aw, man!_ to _so that's how it's gonna be_. I stared them down, trying to tell them that I meant business, before turning my back on them and continuing up the gentle slope toward the house. When I looked back from the porch, the truck (and its occupants) had vanished.

-X-

When I walked out of the house the next morning, they were there, waiting in the truck. Jacob stood outside the back seat door, holding it open for me. I glared at him. I hate it when people poke into my business. Still scowling ferociously, I strapped on my bike helmet and obstinately strode past the big guy, jerking away when he reached for the handlebars.

"Bailey…" he said warningly, pleadingly.

"Buzz off, Jacob," I snapped, swinging one leg over my baby and revving the engine. I'd only been riding a few minutes when I realized the green truck was following me, two cars back. It swerved in and out of the lanes, trying to get closer, and I noticed it was Bella driving, not Leah. Her jewel-toned eyes were tight with concentration and fixated on my back.

I gritted my teeth and sped up, barely blowing through a yellow light that brought the truck screeching to a halt. I hung a sharp right and chugged into the school parking lot, extremely pleased with myself. I cruised into my usual spot easily, immediately unbuckling the clip of my helmet and lifting it away, shaking out my shoulder-length, honey-brown locks to get rid of the helmet hair.

That's when I saw Lucas. He leaned against the hood of his Honda nonchalantly from down the row, watching me with a warm, friendly, butterscotch gaze. The Cullens milled around their car purposefully, keeping themselves between Lucas and me. I stared openly, incredulous that they were all trying so hard to separate us. Looking back at Lucas desperately, I saw the wry and knowing smirk that spread over his features in response to my observation.

Leah's truck pulled smoothly into the lot behind me. Bella frowned severely as she climbed down from the driver's seat, mimicked by Jacob and Vanessa when they emerged. Leah glowered from her perch in the cab.

I paid them no mind. Shouldering my messenger bag, I kept my eyes on Lucas as I started up the lawn towards the building. Lucas copied me, striding across the grass in his long-legged gait. All eight of the Cullens moved with us, a living, breathing barrier. They watched us warily, tensely, waiting for one of us to make a move to reach the other. Lucas and I ignored them, staring through the thicket of bodies as if it didn't exist, as if we normally walked together ten feet away from one another without speaking. We even smiled a little, aggravating the Cullens further. I was eager to talk to him again, but this was his way of letting me know to be patient, that we would find a way to evade this ridiculous division. Somehow, though I'd only known him for a day, I could read him that easily. This wordless exchange was familiar, comfortable, like we'd danced this tango every day for years. It made me happy, it made me sad, it made me confident, it made me scared. This boy was turning my world on its ear, and I was loving every minute of it.

We parted ways in the hall, me going left, and him going right. We left the Cullens hovering in the intersection, golden gazes prickling my back as I strolled away. I sniggered—while I didn't know what had the Cullen siblings' knickers in a twist, just seeing Lucas had put me in a good mood, ready and willing to make mischief.

At lunch, he was there to hold the cafeteria door open, smiling graciously at Annabelle and me as we passed through. Annie's smoky blue eyes widened, impressed by the courtesy and bursting with excitement—"Be prepared to recap," she whispered hurriedly before rushing away to the line for food.

"Is she giving us alone time?" a beautifully amused voice inquired behind me.

"Seems that way," I replied, turning to him with a huge grin. "I didn't know you had lunch this period."

"I ate in the courtyard on my first day," he confessed, leading the way to a half-empty table. The freshman grouped at the other end gawked at us. "I dislike being the center of attention."

"Really?" I wondered aloud. "You seem socially adept enough to me."

Lucas chuckled. "You make me feel comfortable," he informed me. "The words flow easier whenever we talk."

I shook my head. "It's strange how much I share your feelings. Not everyone understands my sense of humor, so it's hard for me to make friends."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "The Dr. Cullen's brood seems to be protective enough of you, for not being your friends." He gestured to where the siblings (minus Bella, who was in the lunch line) sat across the room, frowning at us.

"I don't know what's gotten into them," I sighed. "They usually keep to themselves, and I've only talked to a few of them about three times. They're very prejudiced against you, you know."

Lucas nodded jerkily, his mouth pressing into a thin, disapproving line. "I know. The feeling is mutual."

"Why is that? Are you related to them?" I inquired lazily, fishing an apple out of my sack lunch.

He looked at me as if I'd grown another head. "No," he answered decisively. "Why would you ask that?"

"You have the same color eyes," I replied. "It's not one I've seen before. Since the Hale twins, Alice, Emmett, and Bella are adopted, I thought maybe you were separated at birth, or something."

Lucas snorted. "I would be very disappointed if my background was that exciting," he told me, mock-stern. "It sounds like it belongs on the Jerry Springer Show."

"I was thinking Maury, but whatever." I shrugged. "So the eye color is just a coincidence?"

He returned my shrug. "I suppose," he murmured, looking over my shoulder at the Cullens' table. "I certainly _hope_ I'm not related to them, after the grievance they've put on my family." Suddenly, before I could ask what he meant, his old grin returned. "I think your friend Matt is about to make a dangerous mistake."

I whipped around—leave it to Matt to do something stupid the minute I'm not there to baby-sit him. The brazen idiot was walking up to Bella, who stood alone by the salad bar, filling up a tray. Edward was too busy staring at Lucas and me to notice anything amiss, but Vanessa leaned over to touch is hand, and his head snapped to the hapless Matt, his expression turning murderous instantaneously. The others also broke off their surveillance; Emmett held down Edward's shoulder with one gargantuan hand while Alice and Rosalie talked at him, presumably trying to calm him down. Vanessa still gripped her brother's hand; Jasper and Jacob leaned into the conference, slipping in a word when they could.

Edward was having none of it. Bella stiffened as Matt approached, but faced him only when he greeted her, a masculine grin plastered across his goofy expression. Edward strained against Emmett's hand as Matt began to talk to Bella, his jaw clenched with an emotion beyond fury.

"I gotta go," I told Lucas quickly, jumping to my feet the moment I ascertained the situation. Apple in hand, I rushed over to my in-over-his-head quasi-friend, just in time to hear him say, "Well, we really only have room for one more…" Thinking fast, I shoved my apple into Matt's mouth while he was talking—his teeth embedded themselves in the fruit, rendering him mute.

"Please excuse him," I told Bella. She stared at us, perfectly still, her mouth ever-so-slightly agape. "He's recovering from a temporary bout of insanity."

"Mm-_hm_-hmm!" Matt said, trying to free himself.

"I know, I know," I assured him, mock soothing. "We'll get you back to your nice cushioned room soon." I dragged him back to his table, calling, "See you in Bio!" back at Bella over my shoulder.

Back at my old table, I deposited Matt unceremoniously into Jennifer's eager arms.

"What did you do that for, Bailey?" he demanded. "I was asking her to go on a boat trip with us this weekend, away from her siblings."

"Edward was about to decapitate you," I replied calmly. "Next time, invite someone without a boyfriend. And seriously, how likely was it that she'd do anything without some of her family? You see the way they stick together."

"Well, it was worth a shot," he mumbled pathetically, running a dejected hand through his beach-blond hair. "I don't suppose you want to go?" he asked hopefully, looking up at me with blue puppy-dog eyes.

His pout was wasted on me. "I'm a hiker, not a mariner," I reminded him. "And I don't like the way you drive your car—what makes you think I'd change my mind once you add water to the equation?"

"C'mon, it'll be fun," he insisted, slinging an arm over my shoulders—but I saw him glance at Bella, to see if she was watching. I shrugged out of his hold.

"We've been through this before, Matt," I said gently. "I'm not a boat person."

Matt sighed. "Yeah, okay," he conceded.

"Um, Bailey?" Annabelle piped up. "I think Lucas is waiting for you."

Alerted by the minor not of alarm in Annabelle's tone, I looked over at where Lucas sat alone at our half-empty table. A mask of black emotion I had never seen before adorned his perfect features, one white hand clenched tightly on top of the table. Golden eyes bored into Matt's head with all the intensity of a power drill. "I'll see you guys later," I heard myself say. I rushed back to Lucas as speedily as I could without appearing too obvious.

"What's wrong?" I asked him immediately.

"Is that boy courting you?" he demanded.

My expression was as confused as I felt. "Matt? He was just trying to save face in front of Bella. He asked me out when we were sophomores, but I turned him down then, too. Boats make me seasick."

"You're sure it isn't just him?" Lucas returned acidly, his eyes still trained on a point behind me. I snapped my fingers in front of his face to get his attention.

"Be nice," I admonished. "He's a moron, but he's a good guy at heart. He just doesn't see the boyfriend/girlfriend relationship as binding as most people."

"Maybe I should help Edward remind him," Lucas muttered mutinously. "What are you doing this weekend, if you didn't accept Newcomb's boating invitation?" He finally looked back at me, his gold eyes hypnotizing me in their lingering force of emotion.

I swallowed hard, drowning in his gaze. "Well, Matt's boat trip is on Saturday, so I'll probably spend Friday night with Jennifer, Annabelle, and this other girl Lana, helping them pick out new swimsuits."

"Can Center Harbor accommodate such aristocratic tastes?" Lucas wanted to know, leaning a little as he was reabsorbed into our conversation.

"There are a few boutiques downtown," I replied. "It's a little risky after dark, but as long as you stay away form the bars, you're okay. We've never been bothered. Besides, we're a waterfront community—we have bathing suits stuffing up the cracks in our walls."

Lucas grinned at my elaboration, though a shadow lurked behind his enrapturing eyes. "I see. If you're still in one piece by morning, would you like to go to a bookshop with me? A box of mine was misplaced during the move up here."

I closed my eyes dramatically, drinking up the ideal situation within my grasp. "Music to my ears," I said. "A guy wants to go _book shopping_ with me." I opened my eyes to his amused expression. "Seriously, do have any flaws at all?"

Lucas laughed outright at that. "Yes, plenty of them, believe me. I take it that's an acceptance, then?"

"It certainly is. By the way, is there any way you can arrange things so that my bike can't take me home today?"

"I think I can manage that."

_**AN: For you who wanted to know why the Cullens dislike Lucas and his family, I'm sorry, but that'll have to wait another chapter or two. In order for us to know, Bailey must know, and I'd like her and Lucas's relationship to evolve a bit more before she delves into their vampiric world. You know the drill: cookies for reviewers, names on Caius's hit list for non-reviewers. And you don't want to end up like Irina now do you?**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**AN: Ok, you know how some people use this as an opportunity to apologize for not updating and give reasons and suchlike? Well, I have no good reasons. I'm sorry. ***__**Throws self at readers' mercy**__*** Seriously, I got nothing. Sure, there were a few essays and tests thrown around in there, plus a few unavoidable extracurriculars, but mostly it was that most beautiful combination of laziness and writer's block. I therefore beg your forgiveness.**_

_**Big thanks to these lovely peeps for reviewing the last chapter:**_

_**--jaebabe**_

_**--BrokenAngel363**_

_**--party-hardie**_

_**--EdwardMakesMeSwoon**_

_**--Libra Sorceress**_

_**--Black Mary Janes**_

_**You guys rock my socks. You deserve better than my miserly update record. ***__**Wails into black lace handkerchief**__*** Anyways…*sniffle*…except for Lucas, Bailey, and the rest of the Center Harbor gang, Stephenie Meyer owns all, the lucky duck. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 5: Weekend Plans

"I can't believe this," I said, and I knew my eyes were as wide as they felt. "Did you…?"

"You asked me if I could render your bike incapable of taking you home," Lucas replied, peering down into my face. "It is what you wanted, isn't it?" he asked, suddenly anxious.

"Yes, of course," I assured him. "I just didn't think this could really happen."

It was after school, and the two of us were in the parking lot by my motorcycle. My bike, my navy blue Harley, my baby sat in between the white lines on the pavement with slit tires. The punctures, however, weren't the long slashes made by a knife, more like round holes made by animal teeth.

"Raccoons are vicious little things," Lucas agreed amicably. "Their teeth can cut through cloth, wires, rubber, almost anything. They must have a personal vendetta against you to go after your tires like that. What a shame. May I give you a ride home?"

"Please," I responded gladly. "How do you propose we fit my bike into your trunk?"

"I'll come back with Gideon's truck and take it to the shop for you," Lucas offered. "It's the least I can do."

"Bailey?" I sighed as Bella, Edward, Jacob, and Vanessa came over. "What happened to your bike?"

"Raccoons," I said shortly. "It happens."

Edward looked at Lucas sharply. "It does, does it?" he asked darkly. I didn't bother to answer him.

"Do you need a ride home again?" Bella asked, in a tone that implied I should say yes.

"Actually, I've already said I'd ride home with Lucas," I told her sweetly. "Maybe another time."

"Listen, Bailey," Jacob cut in. "We were wondering if you wanted to come down to our house for a little campfire on Friday night, you and some of your friends. Annabelle, Evan, Taylor, Jennifer…"

"Matt?" I asked innocently. Edward's scowl deepened.

"And Matt," Vanessa said firmly, watching her brother. "You're all invited. Would you like to come?"

"Sorry, guys, but me and the girls already have plans on Friday night—swimsuit shopping. But I'll let you know if our plans change."

"Please do," Bella urged, her golden eyes flicking to Lucas. "We'd love to have you all over."

I smiled vaguely and Lucas led me away toward his Honda. We had to pass through another cloud of Cullen disapproval, but at least Jasper, Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie didn't say anything. I wasn't sure I could hold my tongue much longer. Lucas opened the passenger side door for me, and I slid into the leather seat. Before I knew it, he was getting in on his side, revving the engine, and away we went.

"I thought you hadn't solidified your plans with Annabelle, Jennifer, and Lana," Lucas commented.

"The Cullens are really starting to get on my nerves," I explained. "I'd rather spend as little time in their company as possible."

Lucas stared at me—I felt goosebumps ripple down my arms. "You have a bit of a temper, don't you?"

"I don't like people poking their noses into my business," I replied, investigating the horde of CDs in his glove compartment. "You listen to Evanescence?"

"Only recently," he said, smiling into my eyes in such a way that made my stomach turn to jelly. I looked down at his music collection, the familiar blush staining my cheeks. Raising my eyebrows incredulously, I held up a BeeJee's album.

"Is this one of the 'flaws' you mentioned at lunch?"

Lucas winced. "Forgive me. It's a guilty pleasure."

"You disappoint me, Rockwell."

"My apologies. Although, you must admit that you are not without your secrets."

I turned to him quickly, distressed. Had he found out about…? "What do you mean?" I demanded.

Lucas looked at me carefully, searching my face for something. "You must have a musical indulgence that you'd rather not be made public," he clarified.

I relaxed; my secret was safe. "Just one," I told him, naming a boy band notorious for its female following and immense popularity. "And if you tell anyone I will come after you with a chainsaw."

"You disappoint me, Swanson."

"Yeah, yeah. What about books? Which ones were you hoping to replace?"

Lucas started naming volume after volume, with authors encompassing every walk of life, and I wondered if our meager bookshop could meet his literary needs. "Just tell me, have you ever read Jane Austen?" I asked finally—I could listen to him talk all day, but real men read Austen.

"Twice over," Lucas retorted.

I beamed at him. "You _are_ the perfect man."

Lucas's snort was half-amused, half-derisive. "I'll have to continue to disagree with you on that point, Bailey."

I shrugged; his rebuttal wasn't going to change my opinion. "Tell me about yourself," I commanded.

"Like what?"

"Like…where did you live before you moved here?"

"Maine. You wouldn't know the name of the town."

"Try me."

"Burbank."

"…fine, I don't know the town. Did you have a girlfriend there?"

"_No_."

"Why not?"

"None of the girls there were worth the effort."

"Hmph. Do you have any siblings?"

"No. Do you?"

"One brother, Travis."

"Older."

"How…?"

"It was in your voice—it sounded something like hero worship."

"Well, it probably was. After my dad died, Travis really stepped up and took care of Mom and me."

"…I'm sorry about your father, Bailey. When did he…?"

"I was nine; Travis was thirteen. He faked his age to get jobs around town to pay for the funeral, any job he could get."

"Where is he now?"

"In Iraq. The army's going to pay his way through med school when his time is up."

"Good deal."

"Tell me about it. I just can't wait for him to come home."

"You miss him."

"You have no idea."

Something in my tone brought the conversation to a screeching halt. Lucas could tell something ran deeper than my words, something darker. I looked away, painful though it was, so he couldn't see that I was keeping something from him. Heck, I was keeping something from the whole town.

Thankfully, he let it go. "Anything else you want to know?"

"What's your middle name?"

"Richard. Yours?"

"Off-limits."

"Oh, go on—I showed you mine, now you show me yours!"

"All right, you asked for it. It's Hortense."

"You must be joking."

"I kid you not, my friend—Bailey Hortense Swanson. It's a family name."

"And an old one, at that. Is that all?"

"What's you favorite color?"

"Okay, now you're just being silly."

"Your point being what, exactly?"

"That we're at your house and I still need to take your bike to the shop."

I looked out the windshield, bemused, and sure enough my house rose out of the New Hampshire gloom in front of us. I deflated a little—my happy time for the day was officially coming to a close.

"Do you really have to go?" I heard myself ask pleadingly. Lucas's expression was as regretful as mine.

"Unfortunately, I do. There's still a lot of unpacking to do, and Gideon's expecting me. Trust me, though, Bailey, I'd rather spend the afternoon with you."

"The feeling is mutual," I sighed. Dejectedly, I reached for the door handle…and it opened from the outside, with Lucas suddenly standing there with a hand outstretched. Dazed, I took the proffered limb, shivering the instant my skin made contact with his icy palm. Lucas dropped my hand quickly and reached inside the car to retrieve my bag. He held it for me like an old-fashioned gentleman would hold a lady's coat, allowing me to slip my arms through the straps. Turning me around, he placed his hands on my shoulders and stared deep into my eyes, his golden gaze hypnotic and warm. I couldn't look away.

"Good afternoon, Bailey," he said simply, softly. "I'll see you tomorrow." And before I knew it, he was back in his Honda, the engine was revving to life, and he was backing out of my gravel driveway. Once on the road, he rolled down his window and called, "Navy blue!" Then, he was gone.

Grinning, I turned and hiked up the drive to my house. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

oOo

Wednesday morning dawned wet and dreary, a late winter usual in New Hampshire. I sped through my normal routine, taking more care than usual with my appearance (my favorite pair of faded jeans and a Granny-Smith-Apple-green, long-sleeved t-shirt). With my stomach bouncing between my throat and my hips, I looked out my bedroom window at 7:15…and saw the black Honda waiting patiently in the driveway. Lucas leaned against the hood, his astonishing male beauty understated by his baggy, wine-colored sweater and khaki cords.

I positively flew down the stairs, yelling goodbye to the exhausted figure slumped across the couch in the den and banging the screen door when I flung it open. Lucas smiled when he saw me, held out a hand for my backpack.

"You're a morning person, aren't you?" he asked as he opened the passenger door.

"Not in the slightest," I replied cheerily. "I have to wake up at 6:20 a.m. to achieve this level of delightfulness."

"Duly noted." He slid into the driver's seat with a fluidity that made me stare, even though I knew it was rude. "By the way, what's your favorite color?"

I raised an eyebrow, quirking it higher when I saw a corner of his mouth twitch. "To wear or in general?"

"Both."

"To wear, probably this color green and any color blue. In general, purple. It's feminine, royal, and a little mysterious."

"You're all about cool colors, it seems."

"Which is ironic, seeing as I have such a sunny disposition." I grinned like a fool to demonstrate my point. I couldn't help myself—with Lucas, I didn't feel the need to put up the polite barriers I constructed around everyone else. "However, gold, maroon, and brown are close seconds to my three absolute favorites. Are you one of those guys who can only watch a movie if it has guns and blood spattered across the script?"

Lucas snorted. "Please. I won't cry at the theater, but I'll see a romantic comedy if I feel like it."

"Which Hepburn, Audrey or Catherine?"

"Audrey, I suppose—not because of her beauty, but because of her class. She could've taken on Catherine if so persuaded."

I considered. "For a vacation spot, would you choose mountains or beach?"

"Mountains. For some reason, the heights never fail to awe me." Lucas said this with a half-reverence that had me wondering, but I let it pass.

"What's your favorite subject?"

"Excuse me?" His golden eyes flickered to mine with good-humored incredulity. "That's unimaginative."

"A favorite subject can say a lot about a person," I persisted. "Mine's English."

"Of course it is," he muttered. "It's a tie between History and Psychology," he said finally. "I like storytelling, and history is basically one long, never-ending story. And I find the subconscious mind utterly fascinating."

I cocked my head at him. "A fan of Freud, then?" That startled a laugh out of him.

"No, no, not really. I respect him for his contributions to his field, but most of his conclusions are completely erroneous."

"No duh, genius."

Lucas laughed again, and the sound was so bewitching, so enthralling—like the quiet chuckle of a babbling brook, all clear and clean and fluid—that I didn't notice he'd already pulled into his usual spot in the school parking lot. By the time I'd reluctantly climbed out of the car, Lucas had already retrieved our bags from the backseat. With his messenger bag slung over one shoulder, he helped—quite unnecessarily, I might add, but I wasn't about to spoil the moment—into the straps of my backpack.

"Bailey!" Jennifer ran over to us, bouncing with excitement. Annabelle followed at a more reasonable pace. "You'll never guess what's happened!" Jen gushed. "Matt says Sunday will be much, much better for sailing than Saturday!"

"So…?" I prodded.

"_So_, he also asked me out to dinner on Friday!" Jennifer squealed.

"That's great!" I exclaimed, genuinely happy and a little relieved. Jennifer had been pining after Matt for at least a year now, and their impending couplehood meant that he'd stop pestering me. "You're so great together!"

"I know!" Jennifer rejoiced, and for a moment I feared her wide smile would split her face in half.

"What she's not telling you is that we'll have to move our shopping trip to another night," Annabelle supplied, catching up to our conversation. "How's Saturday for you?"

"Umm…" I said, glancing up at Lucas. He returned my look with amusement and raised eyebrows, as if wondering what I would tell my friends about our plans. "I'm busy Saturday," I said finally. "What about tomorrow, right after school?"

Annabelle smiled knowingly, looking from me to Lucas and back again. "Works for me."

Jennifer nodded, always eager to encourage romance. "Lana won't be able to come, but she just bought a new swimsuit anyway."

_Thank Moses_, I thought to myself. Lana was a thin, unremarkable girl who disliked me ever since I accidently spilled shrimp cocktail sauce all over her white dress at the Fourth of July party in ninth grade. _It washed out and everything!_ I marveled now. _That girl is so high-strung she makes a tightrope look like string cheese!_ Lucas covered his mouth with one pale hand, like he was trying to hide a snicker. I almost asked him what was so funny when Jennifer interrupted us again.

"And now we can go to the Cullens' bonfire on Friday!" she exclaimed happily. Three cars down, I saw Edward Cullen stiffen, as if he had heard her. Next to me, Lucas mimicked his posture.

I fixed Jennifer with a disbelieving stare. "The Cullens' bonfire?" I demanded.

"Yeah," she replied, oblivious to my disapproval. "Jacob told me about it yesterday—sunset's at five thirty, so they'll start the fire at six. Matt and I will be late, obviously, but we can meet you guys there. Jacob said he talked to you about it." A hint of confusion entered Jen's voice when she realized I wasn't as thrilled as she.

"Who's going?" I asked her, dreading the response.

"A lot of people—Jacob, Vanessa, Edward, Bella, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, and Leah (of course, I mean, it's their party), plus you, me, Annabelle, Matt, Taylor, Lana, Evan, and Bobby Cooke from Spanish class." Annabelle blushed at that last name, and my cloud of distemper softened a bit at knowing Annie's crush would be in attendance. But still, the way those _people_ treated Lucas…

"You should go," he said quietly. I looked up at him, concerned.

"I don't think it'll really be worth it if you aren't there," I tried, my voice hopeful and hesitant.

"I wasn't invited," he replied, and I could hear the fierce regret in his tone. "It would be rude."

"So?" I returned, forgetting that Jennifer and Annabelle were _right there_ observing our intimate conversation. "The world won't stand still if you crash a party—which, you know, won't even really be a party, just a bonfire…"

"Bailey." It was amazing how many emotions he could convey with one word, two syllables, and six letters. Regret, loneliness, playful admonishment, and pained acceptance colored my name as it tumbled from his perfect lips. I sighed and bowed my head, resolved.

"So…" I said, remembering Jen and Annie. "Swimsuit shopping on Thursday, and the Cullens' bonfire on Friday?"

"Sounds like a plan," Jennifer responded, bouncy again. Funny, usually I out-bounce her. "I'll go tell the Cullens we accept their invitation." And she scampered off before Annabelle or I could get a word in.

"You know, it probably wouldn't be that bad if you came to the bonfire with us," Annabelle addressed Lucas. "If they want to have us over so badly, they can deal with an extra person." I saw her intentions immediately, and smiled, knowing she just wanted me to be happy.

Apparently, Lucas knew that, too. "Thank you, Annabelle, but it really wouldn't be suitable. I don't want to ruin your fun where I'm not wanted. Thank you again for your consideration, though—I could point Bobby Cooke in your direction, if you like."

Annabelle blushed, and I elbowed Lucas. (Not that it did any good, since his side was as hard as stone) "Stop playing matchmaker, Lucas," I commanded insincerely. "Annie is not without her wiles."

"All the same, if you ever need a hand in that department, you know where to find me." And placing a guiding hand on my back, Lucas steered me toward my first class, intent on escorting me today.

"How did you know Annabelle liked Bobby?" I asked, genuinely curious. He'd been here less than a week!

"People are easy to read, Bailey," Lucas replied with his most brilliant smile.

"Even me?" I asked groggily, still hypnotized by his surreal perfection.

"That would depend on whether you want to be read or not," Lucas replied, tapping my nose lightly as we halted by the door to my class. His long fingers lingered on the curve of my cheek and the edge of my jaw, his topaz eyes turning intense and warm. My heart rate increased uncontrollably. He met my gaze for a long, dazzling moment before whispering, "I'll see you at lunch," and striding away.

When I turned to enter my classroom, pressing my icy hands to my burning face, I thought I glimpsed Jasper Hale watching over me from down the hall. I did a double-take, and he was gone.

_**AN: Hey, wait a minute, I just remembered a very good reason for my belated update—I got my wisdom teeth out! And we're talking full-blown surgery, with the anesthesia, and the stitches, and the Vicodin that goes with it. So…yeah. **_

_**It is as it always has been—those who review shall receive cookies shaped like Lucas's wicked black Honda…those who do not shall receive a mandatory vacation weekend to the Volterra. And **_**you**_** won't be the ones eating dinner upon your arrival…**_


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